130 Skills, Education and Professional Development Associate of Arts Programs

This degree is designed for students who wish to explore different disciplines (subject areas) before deciding on a definite major program prior to transferring to a four-year university, or for students who may not be planning to transfer but wish to earn a degree in a particular area of study that interests them.

An emphasis on Fine Arts provides the student with an understanding of the practices and theories of traditional and contemporary two- and three-dimensional studio arts and an introduction to the history of Western art.

Pursue your interest in art, music, philosophy, literature, cultures, and languages, and turn your passion for the humanities into a college degree. As a humanities major, you’ll gain the ability to reason critically, communicate effectively and make connections across broad fields of knowledge. Begin with your Associate of Arts (DTA) degree at Tacoma Community College. TCC offers the Associate of Arts (DTA) degree with a Humanities track. The Associate of Arts (DTA) degree is a Direct Transfer Agreement degree and prepares students to transition successfully into a related Bachelor’s degree program at Washington State’s 4-year universities.

The Associate of Arts Degree (Education) prepares students for entry into the Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education Alaska Highway Consortium on Teacher Education (AHCOTE), the joint teacher-training program offered by Simon Fraser University and NLC. The Associate of Arts Degree (Education) comprises a range of education courses as well as other first- and second-year arts and sciences courses.

The Associate of Arts in Education, Human Development, and Special Needs offers lower division coursework that provides an introduction to issues, policies, and practices of education, with an emphasis on special education. Students will build a foundation appropriate for entry into advanced study in education, including educational research, advocacy, public policy, and/or teacher preparation. The students also can participate in supervised fieldwork in K-8 settings.

The Associate of Arts degree at LaSalle College Vancouver prepares graduates for further study in a Faculty of Arts bachelor’s degree program at one of British Columbia’s universities. The program provides students a comprehensive liberal arts education in a supportive and nurturing learning environment and supports the development of strong critical thinking, communication, and research skills sought after by employers. Students can be expected to complete the program in 1 to 2 years.

The Liberal Arts: Arts and Humanities Associate in Arts degree program is designed for students who wish for a broad knowledge of liberal arts and sciences with an area of emphasis in Arts and Humanities. This program is an ideal choice for students planning on transferring to the California State University or the University of California as the student can satisfy their general education requirements, plus focus on transferable course work that relates to majors at CSU or UC.

This 60-credit Associate of Arts degree allows students to explore different areas of study, complete the General Education Core, and transfer into a 4-year baccalaureate program.

The Paraprofessional Education program prepares teaching assistants to work in K-12 schools in special education, reading, and general education classrooms. The program articulates the core requirements of the Elementary Teacher Education program while providing needed coursework to improve student learning. This degree is designed for teaching assistants and early childhood care providers.

The AA in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Arts and Humanities provides students with a broad perspective on the culture and artistic expression of human beings and societies. It is designed to stimulate appreciation for and understanding of values, ideas, and artifacts of culture and society, specifically as these relate to how different cultures through the ages have responded to themselves and the world around them through the production of creative forms of expression. Critical thinking skills and self-understanding through these courses provide a framework for lifelong study in the liberal arts.

The Associate of Arts Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Natural Sciences and Mathematics requires completion of 64 credits which must include the General Education Core plus 18 ± 24 credits in Science and/or Mathematics courses taken from subjects in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. This degree provides a solid liberal arts foundation accompanied by strong preparation in Science and Math. Completion of this degree prepares students to continue in multiple science baccalaureate programs as well as programs in health sciences.

The Elementary Education Associate of Arts for Transfer is designed for students seeking to enter the teaching profession, typically in K-8 settings, and planning to transfer to a four-year university to pursue the Baccalaureate degree in order to meet California state requirements for teaching.

This program is designed for students who desire a broad knowledge of liberal arts and sciences, plus additional coursework in an "Area of Emphasis."  This program would be an ideal choice for students planning on transferring to the California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC), as the student may satisfy their general education requirements, plus focus on transferable coursework relating to baccalaureate majors at these institutions.

The Associate in Arts Liberal Arts: Cross-Cultural Studies degree program is designed for students who wish for a broad knowledge of liberal arts and sciences with an area of emphasis in Cross-Cultural Studies. This program is an ideal choice for students planning on transferring to the California State University or the University of California as the student can satisfy their general education requirements, plus focus on transferable course work that relates to majors at CSU or UC.

The Associate in Arts in Liberal Arts with an emphasis in Arts and Humanities provides students the opportunity to cultivate intellect, imagination, sensibility, and sensitivity. Students will respond subjectively and objectively to aesthetic experiences and will understand the integrity of both emotional and intellectual responses. Students will also refine their affective, cognitive, and physical faculties through studying great works of the human imagination. Critical thinking skills and self-understanding through these courses provide a framework for lifelong study in the arts and humanities areas and offer students a breadth of knowledge that could be focused on single discipline degrees and applied to an interdisciplinary degree.

Humanities, Philosophy, and Arts examine human values and experience within a wide range of cultures across the globe and over the course of history. Students will study, interpret, and evaluate classic works in architecture, art, literature, music, philosophy, religion, rhetoric, and the theater, and they will encounter questions to which there are multiple plausible answers. The study of language, philosophy, and rhetoric provides crucial tools for understanding and interpreting human knowledge and experience. Students pursuing the program in the Humanities, Philosophy, and Arts will enhance their skills in critical thinking and both oral and written communication. The Humanities, Philosophy, and Arts program prepares students for further study in the arts, history, humanities, literature, philosophy, communication studies, and/or world languages at a four-year baccalaureate institution and provides an excellent foundation for students interested in administration, communications, law, public service, and teaching.

This specialization prepares students for junior-level transfer into Elementary Education programs at 4-year schools. It's specifically designed to meet the requirements of our primary transfer institutions for Elementary Education majors: